Voters’ voices: Keeping a divided congregation together

Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series of profiles of Public Insight Network sources who are finding ways to navigate political divisions ahead of Election Day.

Bonnie Wilcox, senior pastor of a Lutheran church in St. Paul, Minn., is trying to keep her congregation united in this election season. (Photo shared by Bonnie Wilcox)

This is Rev. Bonnie Wilcox, and she has a tough job. Besides the regular duties of a senior pastor — leading a congregation, managing the administrative affairs of the church, and counseling, teaching, and preaching to her congregants — she has the added struggle of keeping everyone focused on the mission of the church, even in the midst of a polarizing election season.

At more politically homogenous churches, that might not be a big deal. But Wilcox estimates her congregation, at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minn., is split 60/40 between Democrats and Republicans. That lines up with national polls showing white mainline Protestants closely divided in the presidential race (though breaking strongly for Mitt Romney only in recent days).

Wilcox looks at it this way: Her church finds its unity not in political affiliation, or even how individual members differ in the ways they want to live their lives. “Through personal relationships and open forums about controversial topics, we work at being united in Christ, holding on to our differing personal political opinions,” she says.

Many people who have to keep politics out of the workplace can vent among friends on social media. But for Wilcox, Twitter and Facebook are extensions of her ministry. “I use social media to share news of our congregation and to post items of interest in the world beyond our front door,” she says. “Posting on behalf of a candidate or political party, one way or the other, blocks my ability to be ‘pastor’ to some who will read my post and fear talking to me about other issues.”

But that doesn’t mean Wilcox doesn’t take a stand on any issues. “As the Roman Catholic Church has decided, I do believe that I have some responsibility to state a position on moral issues that may affect voting on items such as amendments to the (state) constitution,” she says. “These conversations, however, are most effective when face-to-face.” (Minnesota has two high-profile amendment issues on this year’s ballot: one about voter ID and the other about defining marriage. Watch how other Public Insight Network sources are choosing sides on the Minnesota marriage amendment.)

To illustrate what she IS comfortable posting in social media, Wilcox offers this example from another pastor’s Facebook page ahead of a recent debate: “My prayer is that both candidates are able to present the best version of their vision for the future of our country tonight, rather than watching for who makes the bigger mistake. I also pray for the families of the candidates, who have to listen to all the horrible things said about their loved one.”

Anna Weggel is a Public Insight Analyst, which means she spends her time crafting questions about upcoming story topics to send to sources in the Public Insight Network and then produces web, audio and video content featuring those sources.

Before finding her home at APM in 2008, Anna received her B.A. in journalism, was the editor in chief of The Minnesota Daily, and internship hopped through Mother Jones, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Pioneer Press, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, and the Downtown Journal. Anna's non-work life is held hostage by the stage -- where she performs improv comedy and shows with her lady bluegrass band.